‘Natural Selection’ is busy weeding out weaker car brands
and poorly designed models. On National
Darwin Day, WeLoveAnyCar.com predicts the ‘Car Dodos’ of the future.

12th February
is Darwin Day and the WeLoveAnyCar.com car review site considers today’s car
dinosaurs and highlights potential endangered car species.

The recent recession nearly crippled the biggest car beast
on the block – General Motors – who sought US Government cover and shed jobs
and brands in order to survive.

SAAB is the highest profile car manufacturer to have failed
in Europe with the last car being manufactured in April 2011. Part of GM, SAAB’s future before the
recession, must have seemed assured.

The plight of SAAB is more a story of a weak car brand than
a weak parent. Known for small and
nimble cars in the 50s, 60s and 70s, its models grew ever bigger and less
agile. It failed to take advantage of
innovations like the transverse engine developed before the Mini and its lead
in turbo technology quickly ebbed away.

In retrospect, there can be no other automotive example more
worthy of a Darwinian analysis than SAAB.
Under investment and the failure to adapt to the market – much stronger
for smaller cars like the VW Golf – meant that SAAB crept into the crevices of
the luxury market and failed to spot niches where other manufacturers leapt at
opportunities such as the growth in MPVs.

WeLoveAnyCar.com, the Manchester based car review site, has
close to 430,000 car reviews and the sheer number of ratings drivers submit give
clues to the potential ‘Motor Dodos’ of the future.

Lowest Rated Car Manufacturers - Overall Rating Scores

What Car Would Darwin Buy?

1. Chevrolet
reviews scored 3.69 out of 5

2. Daewoo reviews reviews scored
3.76 out of 5

3. Proton reviews scored
3.81 out of 5

4. Renault reviews scored
3.82 out of 5

5. Aston
Martin reviews scored 3.90 out of 5

6. Fiat reviews scored 3.91 out of 5

7. Rover reviews scored 3.93 out of 5

8. Vauxhall reviews scored
3.93 out of 5

9. Peugeot reviews scored
3.93 out of 5

10. MG reviews scored 3.95 out of 5

GM, SAAB’s erstwhile parent, announced that it would stop
selling its Chevrolet brand in Europe, based on cars manufactured in South
Korea. There are still a number of
Daewoos on the roads – the same models before the re-brand to Chevrolet. The cars are the lowest rated according
WeLoveAnyCar.com and, according to Darwin, there should be no surprise in the demise
of the unloved car marque in Europe and the loss of thousands of jobs.

Fiat 500 Reviews - A Car Brand With Two Identities

There are a few surprises on the lowest rated lists. However, it is worth noting that Darwin himself
said it was individual performance which matters most. Fiat is a company of 2 halves; before the Fiat
500 and after the world beating mini model was launched. Models built
before the 500 pull down the performance of the Fiat brand which
is now resurgent not just in Europe but worldwide.

The Good Cars, The Bad Cars and The Ugly Cars

The WeLoveAnycar.com spokesman said of the bottom rated car
manufacturers; “The worst and the best can be found in most manufacturers. Our massive car review database means
prospective buyers can find the better Renault, Vauxhall and Peugeot models and
avoid the worst. Most manufacturers are producing superb new models as they
realise that people power, sharing experiences, a car’s performance over time, can no longer be a secret. With our car
review site, their models; the good, the bad and the ugly will be rated for all
to see no matter what.”